Automatic car-stop for mine-cages.



J. A. CUSHMAN.

AUTOMATIC CAR STOP FOR MINE CAGES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 10. I916.

Patented Dec. 5, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I I. A. CUSHMAN.

AUTOMATIC CAR STOP FOR MINE CAGES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. I0. I9I6- Patented Dec. 5, I916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

IEIIIEKI)? WITNESSES:

1H. NaRPu. Para Cu wnsamcrau, n. c.

' 1. A. CUSHIVIAN.

AUTOMATIC CAR STOP FOR MINE CAGES; APPLICATION FILED JAN- IO, 191B.

LfiWfiM. Patented Dec. 5,1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

A TTOR/I/E 6 tnararnn 3A3 FAFN JOHN A. CUSHMAN, OF TERRE HAUTE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO FRANK PROX 00., OF TERRE I-IAU'IE, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF INDIANA.

AUTOMATIC CAR-STOP FOR MINE- CAGES.

Application filed January 10, 1916.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN A. CUSHMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Terre Haute, in the county of Vigo and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Automatic Car-Stop for Mine-Cages, of which the following is a specification.

It is the object of my invention to provide a positive locking device for locking a car on the platform of a hoist, and for providing for releasing said locking device automatically when the hoist reaches the desired level and for automatically resetting the locking device to cooperate with the next car when it reaches the proper position on the hoist, and to do all this without requiring the operator to expose himself in the hoist shaft, so that he is not exposed to danger therefrom.

A further object is to provide a locking device which will operate directly on standard cars, and preferably on the runninggear thereof, so that my safety locking and unlocking system may be installed at a minimum expense, and without requiring any change in the car equipment.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic View showing a mine hoist embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the platform of the hoist and the adjacent control mechanism; Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33 of Fig. 2, showing the running gear of a car in locked position on the hoist platform; Fig. 4 is an end view of the car platform taken from the right of Fig. 3, showing the positioning springs and omitting other parts; Fig. is a view similar to Fig. 4, but omitting the positioning springs and showing the lock ing devices proper, and also showing the running gear of a car in place on the platform; Fig. 6 is a detail of the upper end of the release lever; and Fig. 7 1s a section on the line 77 of Fig. 3.

The platform 10 of the hoist is provided with the usual sections of track rail 11, which come into line with the stationary track rails 12 and 13 when the hoist platform 10 is at the bottom of its shaft 141, such as a mine shaft. The track rails 12 slant downward at their ends toward the shaft 14 and the track rails 13 slant downward away from the shaft 14, as shown in Fig. 1. The

hoist platform 10 is supported in any usual Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 5, 1916..

Serial No. 71,158.

manner from a lifting cable 15, operated in any desired manner. Suitable cars 16 and 17 travel on the track rails 12 and 13 and the track rail sections 11, and may be of any standard construction, each car usually being supported on a pair of axles 18 on the ends of which are wheels 19.

Mounted on rods 20 carried by bearings 21 at the sides of the hoist platform 10 are two locking levers 22, which can move both circumferentially and axially on the rods 20 and are pressed by cushioning springs 23 toward the left hand end of the platform (Figs. 1, 2, and 3) or that end toward the track rails 12. When the levers 22 are in the full line position shown in Fig. 5, their upper ends project between the car wheels 19 of the car 16 or 17 if such a car be in proper position on the hoist platform 10, and thus lock such car in such position; but when the levers 22 are in the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5, they clear the wheels 19 and thus unlock the car on the platform 10. The lower ends of the levers 22 are connected by loosely pivoted links 2% to arms 25 fixed on a shaft 26 which is sup ported below the hoist platform 10 in suitable bearings 27 and extends parallel to the track sections 11 for the full length of the platform. The ends of the shaft 26 are provided with operating arms 28 .whereby the shaft may be turned manually when necessary without requiring that the operator get into the shaft 14. The shaft 26 also has fixed thereon arms 29 which are connected by springs 30 to eye bolts 31 mounted on the under side of the car platform 10 near its edges, as is clear from Fig. at. These springs 30 tend to move the shaft 26 and parts carried thereby in a clockwise direction (Figs. 1 and 5) into the positions shown in full lines (in such figures), and therefore, by reason of the links 24, to move the looking levers 22 into the locking position shown in full lines (Fig. 5).

A depending curved arm 32 is also fixed on the shaft 26 near its righthand end (Figs. 2 and 3) or its end toward the track rails 13. Cooperating with this depending arm 32 is a sliding bar 33 slidable in a bearing 34 suitably fixed in a recess at the side of the shaft 14- at its bottom. A lever 35 is mounted at its lower end on a fixed pivot pin 36 on the same block 37 which carries the bearing 34, and is connected by a pin and slot connection 38 to the rear end of the sliding bar 33. A tension spring 39 connected betweenthe lever 35 and the bearline with the lever 35 but cannot be swung to the right out of line wlth such lever because of a cross bar 41 which it carries and or 17 moves over the track rails 13 to the which engages the lever 35 to limit the movement of the finger 40 relative thereto, as is clear from Fig. 6. The finger 40 is in the path of the aXles'18, so that when a car16 right (Figs. 1 and 3) the axle 18 thereof strikes the finger 40 and moves the lever 35 and sliding bar 33 tothe right (tothe full line position shown in Fig. 3) against the spring 39, so that the lefthand end of the sliding rod 33 and of its downward extension 33 clears the plane of the curved arm 32; whereas the pivoting of the'finger 40 allows cars 16 and 17 to pass along the track 13 to the left without affecting the lever 35. 7

Fixed on the shaft 26 and conveniently form-ing a part of the same casting as the arms 25, is a ratchet clutch member 45. Cooperating with this, and having its teeth facing in the opposite direction, is a ratchet clutch member 46 which is slidably mounted on the shaft 26 and is pressed to the right by a compression spring 47 the shaft 26 being free to rotate within the clutch member 46. The clutch member 46 is connected by a pin and slot connection 48 to a yoke 49 fixed on a transverse shaft 50, said clutch member 46 having a projection 51 which extends upward between the arms of the yoke 49 and effectually prevents said clutch member 46 from rotating. On the ends of the transverse shaft are arms 52 on the upper surfaces of which the flanges of the front pair of car wheels 19 bear as acar 16 50 or 17 approaches the'position in which it is desired to lock it on the platform 10 and while it remains in such position. These car wheels depress the arms 52 and thereby force the'clutch member 46 to the left (as shown in Fig. 3) against the action of the spring 47. The coiiperating teeth of the clutch members 45 and 46 are so located 7 relatively that they'interengage to prevent counter-clockwise movement of the shaft 26 when with the clutch member 46 moved to bar 33 so as to prevent it from moving from the position shown in the full lines to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3 while at the same time the upper ends of the locking levers 22 are out of the path of the car wheels 19.

The operation is as follows: Assume that the hoist platform is being lowered, and that the car 16 is an empty car and is locked thereon in the desired position, by reason of having between its wheels on each side one of the locking levers 22. As the platform 10 approaches and reaches its lower limit of movement, so that the track rails 11 are in line with the track rails 12 and 13, the curved arm 32 strikes the upper edge of the sliding bar 33, which at this time is in the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, and such curved arm is moved from the position shown in full lines to the position shown in dotted lines in Figs. 4 and This stretches the springs 30 and moves the locking levers 22 to the unlocking position which is shown in dotted lines in Fig. The ca r 1,6 is now unlocked. The operator now gives a shove to the car 17, which rolls down the track 12, being accelerated by the incline at the right hand end of such track 12; and at the end of its descent the car 17 strikes the now unlocked car 16 and bumps the latter off the track rails 11 and on to the track rails 13. As the flanges of the wheels 19 pass out of engagement with the arms 52, the spring 47 expands and forces the clutch member 46 to the right, so that its teeth are in readiness to cooperate with those of the clutch member 45. The axle 18 of the car 16 as such car passes on to the rails 13 strikes the finger 40 and moves the lever 35 and sliding rod 33 to the right (Fig. 3) against the action of the spring 39, thus moving the left hand end of such sliding rod and of its downward extension 33' out of the plane. of movement of the curved arm 32 so that the latter may move slightly in a clockwise direction (Figs. 4 and 5) under the influence of the springs 30 from the position shown in' dotted lines to the position shown in chain lines, at which point the teeth of the clutch members 45 and 46 engage and stop further movement of the shaft 26 and the parts associated therewith. This stoppage occurs before the upper ends of the locking levers 22 reach locking position. As the car 17 rolls from the track rails 12 on to the track rails 11, and approaches the position in which it is desired to lock it, the flanges of its front wheels 19 engage and depress the arms 52, thus forcing the clutch member 46 to the left against the action of the spring 47 and disengaging the teeth of such clutch member from those of the clutch member 45. This occurs just before the car 17 reaches the point where it is to be locked. The releasing of said teeth permits the I springs 80 to throw the shaft 26 and parts carried thereby from the chain line position to the full line position (Figs. 4 and 5), and the upper ends of the locking levers 22 pass in between the front and rear wheels 19 on each side of the car and stop the car in the desired position, the cushioning springs 23 allowing the locking levers 22 to yield to the right (Figs. 2 and 3) so as to avoid too great a shock. The hoist platform 10 may now be lifted with the car 17 upon it, and when the platform descends the operation just described may be repeated and another car used to push the car 17 from the platform 10 and to take its place on such platform.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination, a movable platform for receiving a car, means carried by said platform for locking the car in place thereon, means operated by the movement of the platform to a predetermined position for releasing said locking means to free the car therefrom, means for initiating setting of the locking means by a car when it passes ofi the platform, and other means for causing the final setting of said locking means.

2. In combination, a movable platform for receiving a car, means carried by said platform for locking the car in place thereon, means for initiating setting of the locking means by a car when it passes off the platform, and other means for causing the final setting of said locking means.

3. In combination, a movable platform for receiving a car, locking means carried by said platform for locking the car in desired position thereon, means controlled by the movement of the platform to a predetermined position for releasing said locking means, means controlled by the movement of a car from the platform for initiating a resetting of said locking means, and means controlled by the movement of a car to a predetermined position on the platform for causing the completion of the resetting of said locking means to hold said last-named car in such position.

4. In combination, a movable platform arranged to receive a car, a locking member carried by said platform and movable into and out of locking position in which looking position it locks the car on the platform, said locking member tending to move into locking position, a device" carried by the platform for moving said locking member against its tendency to unlocking position, a device movable into and out of the path of movement of said last-named device and engaged thereby when the platform reaches ment of a car from the platform, and a catch for preventing the immediate return of said locking member to locking position.

5. In combination, a movable platform arranged to receive a car, a locking member carried by said platform and movable into and out of locking position in which locking position it looks the car on the platform, said locking member tending to move into locking position, a device carried by the platform for moving said locking member against its tendency to unlocking position, a device movable into and out of the path of movement of said last-named device and en gaged thereby when the platform reaches a predetermined position to produce unlocking of said locking member, means for moving said second device out of the path of movement of the first device by the movement of a car from the platform, and a catch for preventing the immediate return of said locking member to locking position.

6. In combination, a movable platform arranged to receive a car, a locking member carried by said platform and movable into and out of locking position in which locking position it locks the car on the platform, said locking member tending to move into locking position, a device carried by the platform for moving said locking member against its tendency to unlocking position, a device movable into and out of the path of movement of said last-named device and engaged thereby when the platform reaches a predetermined position to produce unlocking of said locking member, said second device being spring-pressed into the path of movement of the first device, means for moving said second device out of the path of movement of the first device by the movement of a car from-the platforn'i, means for catching said locking member and preventing it from returning to locking position when said second device is moved out of the path of the first device, and means controlled by the movement of a car on to the platform into the desired locking position for rendering said catching means inoperative and thus allowing the locking member to move to locking position to lock the car.

7. In combination, a movable platform arranged to receive a car, a locking member carried by said platform and movable into and out of locking position in which locking position it looks the car on the platform, said locking member tending to move into looking position, a device carried by the platform for moving said locking member against its tendency to unlocking position, a device movable into and out of the path of movement of said last-named device and engaged thereby when the platform reaches a predetermined position to produce unlocking of said locking member, and means for moving said second device out of the path of vmovement of the first device by the movement of a car from the platform, means for catching said locking member and preventing it from returning to locking position when said second device is moved out of the path of the first device, and means controlled by the movement of a car on to the platform into the desired locking position for rendering said catching means inoperative and thus allowing the locking member to move to locking position to lock the car.

8. In combination, a movable platform arranged to receive a car, a locking member carried by said platform and movable into and out of locking position in which locking position it looks the car on the platform,

,of movement of the first device, means for moving said second device out of the path of movement of the first device by the movement of a car. from the platform,

means carried by the platform for permitting said first device to move out of the position into which .it is moved by said second device and for catching said locking member before it reaches locking position, and means controlled by the movement of a car on to the platform for rendering said catching means inoperative. V

9. In combination, a movable platform arranged to receive a car, a locking member carried by said platform and movable into and out of locking position in which locking position it locks the car on the platform, said locking member tending to move into locking position, a device carried by the platform for moving said locking member against its tendency to unlocking position, a device movable into and out of the path of movement of said last-named device and engaged thereby When the platform reaches a predetermined position to produce unlocking of said locking member, means for movingsaid second device out of the path of movement of the first device by the movement of a car from the platform, means carried by the platform for permitting said first device to move out of the position into Which it is moved by said second device and for catching said locking member before it reaches locking position, and means controlled by the movement of a car on to the platform for rendering said catching means inoperative.

10. In combination, a platform for receiving a car, alocking lever carried by said platform and movable into and out of looking position and when in looking position locking the car on to the platform, a shaft carried by the platform and connected to said locking lever so that by the rotation of the shaft in opposite directions the locking lever is moved to locking and unlocking positions respectively, said shaft tendingto rotate in the direction to move the locking lever to locking position, an arm on said shaft, means arranged in the path of move ment of said arm as the platform is moved for engaging said arm and turning the shaft against its tendency to move the locking lever to unlocking position, said means being movable out of the path of movement of said arm, and a catch for preventing the immediate return of said locking lever to locking position upon the movement of said arm-engaging means out .of such path of movement.

11. In combination, a platform for receiv ing a car, a locking lever carried by said platform and movable into and out of looking position and when in locking position locking the car on to the platform, a shaft carried by the platform and connected to said locking lever so that by the rotation of the shaft in opposite directions the locking lever is moved to locking and unlocking positions respectively, said shaft tending to rotate in the direction to move the locking lever to locking position, an arm on said shaft, means arranged in the path of movement of said arm as the platform is moved for engaging said arm and turning the shaft against its tendency to move the locking lever to unlocking position, means controlled by the movement of a car off the platform for moving said arm-engaging means out of the path of movement of said arm, and a catch for preventing the immediate return of said locking lever to locking position upon the movement of said arm-engaging means out of such path of movement.

12. In combination, a platform for receiving a car, a locking lever carried by said platform and movable into and out of looking position and When in looking position locking the car on to the platform, a shaft carried by the platform and connected to said locking lever so that by the rotation of the shaft in opposite directions the locking lever is moved to locking and unlocking positions respectively, said shaft tending to rotate in the direction to move the locking lever to locking position, an arm on said shaft, means arranged in the path of movement of said arm as the platform is moved for engaging said arm and turning the shaft against its tendency to move the locking lever to unlocking position, a clutch member fixed on said shaft, a second clutch member movable into and out of clutching engagement With said first clutch member, said two clutch members when in clutching engagement holding the shaft in an intermediate position between the position to which it is moved by the action of said arm-engaging means on said arm and the position in which the locking lever is in locking position, and means operated by the movement of a car on to the platform for disengaging said two clutch members and thus allowing the spring to move the shaft to cause a movement of said locking lever to locking position.

13. In combination, a platform for re ceiving a car, a locking lever carried by said platform and movable into and out of locking position and when in looking posi' tion locking the car on to the platform, a shaft carried by the platform and connected to said locking lever so that by the rotation of the shaft in opposite directions the locking lever is moved to locking and unlocking positions respectively, said shaft tending to rotate in the direction to move the locking lever to locking position, an arm on said shaft, means arranged in the path of movement of said arm as the platform is moved for engaging said arm and turning the shaft against its tendency to move the locking lever to unlocking position, means controlled by the movement of a car off the platform for moving said arm-engaging means out of the path of movement of said arm, a clutch member fixed on said shaft, a second clutch member movable into and out ofclutching engagement with said first clutching member, said two clutch members when in clutching engagement holding the shaft in an intermediate position between the position to which it is moved by the action of said arm-engaging means on said arm and the position in which the locking lever is in looking position, and means operated by the movement of a car on to the platform for disengaging said two clutch members and thus allowing the spring to move the shaft to cause a movement of said locking lever to locking position.

14. In combination, a movable platform for receiving a car, a locking device carried by said platform for locking the car in desired position thereon, means controlled by the movement of a car from the platform for initiating a setting of said locking means, and means controlled by the movement of a car to a predetermined position on the platform for causing the completion of the setting of said locking means to hold said last-named car in such position.

15. In. combination, a movable platform for receiving a car, locking means for locking the car in place on said platform, means controlled by the movement of the platform to a predetermined position for releasing said locking means, means controlled by the movement of a car from the platform for rendering said releasing means inoperative, a catch for preventing said locking means from moving to locking position when said releasing means is rendered inoperative, and means controlled by the movement of a car on to the platform for releasing said catch.

16. In combination, a movable platform for receiving a car, locking means for looking the car in place on said platform, means for releasing said locking means, means controlled by the movement of a car from the platform for rendering said releasing means inoperative, a catch for preventing said locking means from moving to locking position when said releasing means is rendered inoperative, and means controlled by the movement of a car on to the platform for releasing said catch.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Terre Haute, Indiana, this 7 day of January, A. D. one thousand nine hundred and sixteen.

JOHN A. OUSHMAN.

topies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

